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CONSTITUTION 


OF THE 


mericaii f 


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PEEAMBLE. 

To promote a general nnion, and secure greater 
harmony of action among the Friends of the Black 
Man ; to give unity and increased effectiveness to the 
movement now on foot in his behalf ; and to insure 
a more judicious and economical expenditure of the 
means employed for his benefit, the New Eng- 
land Freedmen’s Aid Society, the Pennsylvania 
Freedmen’s Belief Association, and the Baltimore 
Association for the Moral and Educational Improve- 
ment of the Colored People, form themselves into 
a general Association, to be governed by the 
following 

CONSTITUTION. 


Z A 


AETICLE I. 

This Association shall be called The Amebican 
Feeedmen’s Aid Union. 

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AETIGLE II. 


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The object of this Association shall be to aid the 
Colored Man to overcome the difficulties of his new 
position ; to assist him in his efforts to rise from the 
degradation to which slavery has reduced him ; and 
to fit him for the full enjoyment of all the blessings 
and the wisest exercise of all the rights that be- 
long to the condition of freedom. 

AKTICLE III. 


The means which this Association shall employ 
to accomplish their object shall be, the distribution 
of material supplies for the relief of physical want ; 
the establishment of rudimentary schools for the 
promotion of useful knowledge ; and the encourage- 
ment and support, to the extent of their ability, of 
all proper measures and institutions having for their 
aim the good of the Colored Man. They will also 
seek, by the diffusion of information and the cor. 
rection of false opinion, to remove from the public 
mind the prejudices engendered by slavery, which 
now stand in the wav of the Colored Man’s elevation. 

ARTICLE IV. 


The affairs of this Association shall be conducted 
by a Board of Managers, composed of three mem- 
bers, chosen by each of the constituent associations, 
annually, on or before the first day of May, and this 
Board of Managers shall make their own by-laws 

and choose their own officers. 

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AETICLE V. 

J The Board of Managers shall seek to promote 
^^.unity, harmony, and efficiency of action among the 
friends of the Black Man. To this end they shall 
respect the rights and regard the wishes of the con- 
stitnent associations ; they shall cultivate friendly 
relations with other societies having in view the 
same object; they shall have power to define the 
field from which each constituent association shall 
collect funds and supplies ; they shall assist by their 
counsel, and otherwise, to the extent of their 
ability, in the dispensation of material aid, in the 
arrangement of schools, in the appointment of 
superintendents, and the like, so as to ensure the 
wisest and most economical expenditure of time, 
labor, and money ; they shall have power to estab- 
lish and maintain a newspaper which shall be the 
common organ of the Union, and to put into the 
field, outside of the limits of the constituent associa- 
tion, financial and other agents, for the diffusion of 
information, and the collection of funds for the conpt- 
mon interest ; and to do such other acts and things as 
may be deemed expedient for the promotion of the 
objects of the Union, as defined in Articles II. and 
III. of this Constitution. 


ARTICLE VI. 

Other Freedmen’s Associations may be admitted 
to membership of this Union, by a vote of two- 
thirds of the Board of Managers. 


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rs AETICLE VII. 

\ 

The annual meeting of this Association shall be 
held at such time and place as the Board of Mana- 
gers may direct, and at this meeting a report shall 
be made of the proceedings of the previous year, 
appropriate addresses delivered, and such other ex- 
ercises had as shall be deemed expedient. 

AETICLE YIII. 

This Constitution may be amended at any time 
by alterations adopted by the Board of Managers, 
and ratified by all the constituent associations. 

AETICLE IX. 

This Constitution shall go into effect as soon as 
ratified by the societies named in the Preamble, the 
ratification to be made known by each to the others 
on or before the first day of March, 1865. The 
first meeting of the Board shall be held in the city 
of New York, on the third Wednesday of March, 
1865. The subsequent meetings of the Board shall 
be held at such times and places as the Board shall 
determine. 


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PreservationTechnologies ° ^ 

A WORLD LEADER IN COLLECTIONS PRESERVATION 0 ^ 

1 1 1 Thomson Park Drive 
Cranberry Township, PA 1 6066 
(724) 779-2111 

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